Winneabgo sheriff candidates detail first 100 days in office

ROCKFORD — It has been four decades since Winnebago County residents have had the opportunity to choose between two sheriff candidates new to the job.

Sheriffs have historically retired during the middle of their term, allowing Winnebago County Board members to appoint a new individual to the position. That appointee, who then had job experience under his belt, successfully campaigned for the spot during the next election cycle.

That was the case for Don Gasparini. He was appointed to the position in 1980 when Paul Bengston, who in 1974 became the first Democrat to break the Republican’s hold on the sheriff’s office, retired. Dick Meyers took over in 1997 when Gasparini retired mid-term.

But Meyers has decided to break the mold and agreed to finish out his term.

Now, voters will have the choice between two individuals new to the position: Republican Gary Caruana and Democrat Bob Springer.

Meet the candidates

Gary Caruana, former corrections and patrol officer for the sheriff’s department, said that proper management of talent and resources will help the department to be more efficient and effective.

“If we have good morale and a good department working together, it’s going to flow over into crime solving. We’re not worried about fighting each other. We’re fighting them.”

During his first 100 days in office, he plans to meet with command staff, officers and union representatives to learn their concerns with the department. He will work a few shifts at the jail and on the streets.

He will then use this experience and officers’ input to create detailed month- and year-long plans. By putting goals on paper, individuals will be held accountable for their actions.

“We all know the same law enforcement agencies, but how do we transition to getting what we say will be done, done? It’s through management and leadership,” Caruana said.

During his tenure, he plans to create the department’s own drug interdiction team to get narcotics off of the street. He will improve the department’s relationship with area schools to expose students to a career in law enforcement.

Caruana retired in 2012 as the corporate security manager of United Parcel Service in Illinois, and he said that, unlike Springer, his experience in other fields outside law enforcement will allow him to see what issues must be addressed.

“When you’ve been in the same environment for so many years you get complacent yourself,” Caruana said.

Bob Springer said that his extensive background in law enforcement will be invaluable when determining how to fight crime.

He can pinpoint the current staff’s strengths and weaknesses. He understands how to address the department’s financial needs with Winnebago County Board members, who allocate its funds.

“I have a good understanding of who the current command people are and addressing what (issues) needs to be changed,” the retired deputy chief with the sheriff’s department said.

But he still plans to do his due diligence during his first 100 days in office and learn the lay of the land.

He’ll become acclimated with the department budget and status of contract negotiations. He’ll evaluate the staff’s current assignments and determine if the responsibilities need to be divvied up differently.

“If you’re short personnel, you want to try to address that. But, then that’s tied to the budget, so you need to know where that’s at (financially),” he said.

Meanwhile, he will continue the sheriff’s role in hosting law enforcement’s monthly meetings with surrounding agencies. He said this communication allows officers across the Rock River Valley to come up with a unified strategy to putting criminals behind bars. Crime is too widespread for an agency to tackle single-handedly.

“We all deal with the same gangs. We all deal with (policing) the same drug of choice,” Springer said. “We are all dealing with the problem, but we have not come up with a common strategy (to combat crime).”